Ride It Out

It’s been a while since I’ve had preworkout nerves, but I had them in full force before last week’s four-hour solo ride. I think of them as a good thing, priming me for the work to come. My sympathetic nervous system was certainly ramped up: by the time I had my bike ready to roll, my heart rate was already at 122. My legs were shaky even twenty minutes into the ride, but I knew that after an hour I’d be feeling steadier.

The same thing happens in meditation. The first five minutes, for me, require a lot of focus and patience. I’ve learned to ride it out, and eventually my mind settles down, just as my legs do in an hour or so on the bike. Your numbers may vary, but every workout, every yoga practice, every sitting session, is an exercise in self-study.